Aeroplane hangar



0d. 28, 1930. u W, R, WATT 1,780,102

AEROPLANE HANGAR Filed April 9. 1929 Patented oet. 2s, 1930 PATENT.OFFICE WILLIAM R. W.;AT1, 0F WILMINGTON DELAWARE AEROELANE HANGARApplication. led April 9,

The objectl ofthis invention is to provide a suitable storage space orhangar for heavierthan-air craft.Y In the type of hangar used atthepresent time, there is a considerable amount of waste spacewhen'individua'l stalls lare used due principally to the peculiar shapeof modern aeroplanes. When aeroplanes are v stored in large hangars, itis extremely dilicult to dispose them so as to eeonomize in space. Whenit is desired to remove a plane from this4 type of han gar, it is oftennecessary to move all of the stored units to finally reach theparticular plane desired. It is also /f obvious that, with a largehangar, inthe winter time, there is a great heat loss dueto thefact thatthe doors, which in most cases constitute one side of the "building,must be opened, thereby exposing the interior to the outside air. It isalso a fact that in case of a fire, in such a hangar, the possibility oflocalizing the flames is remote and there is little hope of saving allof the planes stored therein.

There has long been a demand on the part of`aireraftoperators and pilotsfor a type of hangar, which will'provide at a reasonable cost,individual stalls each adapted to contain an aeroplane in such positionthat it couldbe readily removed and, at the same time, afford theadvantage of permitting work on the plane without difficulty orcramping. yIn recognition of this need or a new type of hangar, theapplicant sets forth in the following views a novel and improved design,ofwhich Fig, 1 is a sectional plan view taken lon the line 1-1, Fig. 2,diagrammati'cally illustrating a preferred type of hangar;

Fig. 2 -is a sectional View taken along the line 2f-2, Fig. 1, showingin some detail the 'arrangement of the doors, windows and roof of thehangar; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating Y i a modifiedarrangement of the stalls in the hangar.

Referring to Fig. 1, it lwill be noted that the individual stalls arerepresented by 1.

The hangaris octagonal in shape, each stall 1V having a Hoor plansubstantially in the 5'0 form of an isosce'les trapezoid. At the oppoying above the tops of the stalls',

1929. Serial N0. 353,740.

site sides of the hangar are assageways 4 leading to a central .space 5er repair material, shops, offices, etc. The stalls 1, as shown in thepreferred arrangement, consist of the side walls 6, a front entrance 7hav- 55 l ing suitable doors 8, which are preferably ofV the foldingtype, opening to theflying field, and a back entrance 9 closed by thedoors 10 and opening to the central repair and oilice space 5. Anaeroplane 11 is shown dia ram- 60 inaticallyi'n one of the stalls withbot the front and rear doors closed and the 'aeroplane 12 is showneither leaving or entering one ofthe stalls. 13 represents a fuselage ofa plane being taken from one of the stalls into the space Whereany'extensive repairs that may be desired may be performed.`

Fig. 2 shows particularly some'of the details of construction. It may benoted that in order to secure ample light in the stalls when the doorsare closed, a shouldered roof 14 surmounts the stalls.v This roof allowsthe windows l5 to be placed as shown in the break in the roof, givinglight and, when necessai-y, ventilation for the individual stalls. Asmentioned heretofore, the doors 8, which4 are preferably of the foldingtype, open to the iiying field. The doors 10 open into the central-space5 and themotor, Wings, fuselage 'or any other part ofthe' plane may betaken so l through this back entrance 9 into the space 5 for rep/ai rs.'lhe centralspace 5 is sultably ventilated and illuminated by thelwindows 16 which are placed in the walls'17 projectand supportingthecentral part 18 of the roof 14.

It is-obvious, therefore, that this particular arrangement makes a A'very desirable hangaristructure.

As' shown in Fig. 3, the arran stalls may be modified so as to ispensewith the central space 5. In this plan, the stalls are builtin astraight line side by side, alternately facing front and back. A planelandementof the ingl on the particular field-where this hangar islocated would taxi up to it and the pilot would be informed as t'o theparticular stall which his plane is to occupy. He would then move his siip to a convenient position in front of this stall with the tail of theplanepointed 1-00 muy toward the entrance in a position similar to thatIof plane 12. The plane could now very easily be backed into the stalland housed for a time, or repaired as required.

` In the hangar as shown in Figure 1, for instance, if it werenecessaryto weld a section of the fuselage, the wings could be detachedand the fuselage removed from the stall through the rear doorway intothe repair space 5, where everything'could be done. In inclementweather, all of' the operations necessary could illus be performedinside. AIn its preferred form, the hangar is constructed entirelyoffire-resistant material including the doors 8 and 10. It, therefore, maybe seen that'in case of fire in any particular stall or in the center/ofthe repair section, the fireresistant construction of the entirestructure, including the doors, would effectively prevent the spreadingof the flames.

The roof 14 slopes downward somewhat to the shoulder having the windows15, and the Walls 17 with the windows 16 are in substantial alignmentwith the rear backs of the stalls l. Between the windows 15 and 16 is acircular depression 19. The center 18 of the roof may be slightlyarched. Suitable means may of course be provided to drain the section19.

I claim: l

1. A hangar having a plurality of radiating stalls, reach with a floorplan of substantially trapezoidal form, a front entrance.

opening to the exterior of the hangar and a back entrance opening into aspace at the center of the hangar, two side walls set at an angle toconform to the general outline of an aeroplane, and a roof for thehangar the central space being of a vsize to receive the fuselage of theaeroplane, the rear entrances permitting removal of the fuselage of anaero plane disposed in any of said stallsto said central space.

2. An aeroplane hangar having a stall with a floor plan of substantiallytrapezoidal form, a long front and a short back wall, two side wallsdiagonally arranged relative to said front and back walls, a roofdownwardly offset intermediate the frontand back walls with the internalshoulder produced by offsetting facing the front wall, and windows 1nthe shouldered part` of said roof and windows in said shoulder.

3.y A hangar comprising a pluralityof radiating stalls each with a floorplan lofsubstantrapezoidal form, said stalls being arranged aboutacentral roofed space, each stall having a roof downwardly offset betweenits inner and outer ends, the inner ends of the roof sections bein lowerthan the roof section of the eentraspace whereby a substantially annulardepression is formed, the inner and outer walls of said depressionhaving windows, said central space being of a size to receive thefuselage of a plane, said stalls tween its inner and outer ends, the.inner ends' of the roof sections being lower than the roof section ofthe central space whereby a substantially annular depression is formed,the inner and outer walls of said depression having windows, vsaidcentral space being of a size to receive the fuselage of a plane, saidstalls having each a door in its inner wall permittingfremoval of thefuselage from the stall to said central space, and means affordingaccess to said central space independently of passage through any ofsaid stalls.-

WILLIAM R. WATT.

